Pot Pie is one of the classics of winter and / or “homey” cooking. Smooth, creamy sauce, flavorful vegetables and chunks of chicken are all combined into a bowl full of happiness. There are many, many approaches to making this dish - if you have a favorite vegetable to throw in, or prefer a flaky pie crust to a biscuit crust, then go for it. I’ve put a few of the possible substitutions and/or possible ingredients - really any combination of them should work well. If an ingredient line has an “OR” just choose one of the options. Make this your own!
2-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR 2-4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs OR 3-5 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 medium onion, chopped OR 1 small package pearl onions
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped OR 2-4 Tablespoons processed garlic OR 3-6 Tablespoons garlic powder
1-2 packages frozen vegetable mix OR 3-4 cans vegetables OR 4-6 cups fresh, chopped vegetables (carrots, celery, corn, red pepper, etc)
2 cans cream of chicken soup - OR 1/4 cup butter, 1/3 cup flour, and 2-3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 cup to 1 cup white wine (OPTIONAL)
Any combination of basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and pepper that sounds good to you. (Approximately 1-5 teaspoons each)
1 package pre-made biscuits OR 1 package pre-made roll-out pie dough OR 1 batch baking powder biscuits (try Bisquick if you don’t want to make your own) OR 1 package pre-made croissant dough
In a deep frying pan or wide saucepan, cover the chicken with water (if you have it, add a cube of bullion or teaspoon of chicken stock). Place over medium-high heat. Let the water reach a boil, and poach chicken for 8-12 minutes, or until cutting into the thickest part of the meat reveals no pink.
Set poached chicken on a plate and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle it. (In the fridge, if you’re in a hurry) Shred or roughly chop the chicken - don’t worry about making it look pretty.
In a large frying pan, combine the onion and garlic (and celery and carrots if you are using them) with a small drizzle of oil or 1-2 teaspoons of butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
In a large, deep, pot (a thick-bottomed “dutch oven” works well, if you have it) start the sauce.
If you are using the cream of chicken soup, combine that with the milk and white wine. Stir well.
If you are using the butter and flour, melt the butter in the bottom of the pan. Stir the flour in with a whisk or fork. Slowly add the chicken broth, then the wine (see this post for more information on roux, which is what you just made.) Add the spices to taste.
To the sauce, add the chicken, onion/garlic mix, and vegetables (just dump frozen veggies into the mix. Drain and dump the canned). Heat this on the stove over medium-to-high heat, stirring occasionally. While the filling is heating, preheat the oven to whatever temperature is recommended on your bread package. If you are using baking powder biscuits, this is usually 400-ish.
Open the topping package and / or roll out your topping dough.
If you have been using an oven-safe pot (this means NO PLASTIC, even on the handles) and have at least 3/4 of an inch of room between the filling and the lip of the pot, use that. Otherwise, dump the filling into a casserole dish. While the filling is still hot, place the topping dough on it and pop it in the oven. You want to do this while the filling is still hot so the bottom of the topping cooks as well - otherwise, it will be a doughy mess with a cooked top crust, no matter how long you bake it.
If you want to freeze pot pie, simply ladle the filling, without the topping, into freezer-safe containers. Allow to cool, uncovered, in the fridge. Once it’s cold, seal up and freeze. When you’re ready to make dinner, reheat the filling over medium-low heat in saucepan. Once it’s hot and bubbly, top it with your dough of choice and bake as usual.
Bake until your topping is golden brown. Wait a few minutes for it to cool, and enjoy!
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